Resonance and Repetition
by saiyuri-dahlia
Summary: "Kurama wished he was exaggerating the similarities between the two, but as far as his eyes could tell, it seemed like his dead partner had walked straight out of his final memories and into his stepfather's company…" Kuronue x Kurama, in which Kuronue may/may not have been reincarnated into a Male OC. A part of the 2017 Yu Yu Hakusho Big Bang over on Tumblr.
1. Chapter 1

Story Title: Resonance and Repetition

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH.

Author's Notes: Here is my entry in the 2017 Yu Yu Hakusho Big Bang over on Tumblr. Big thanks to BlackSilkenRose for herding cats for a second year to host the 2017 Yu Yu Hakusho Big Bang (at yyhbb) over on Tumblr. Also all the thanks in the world goes to Elliot (at plantpun) and bottomofthewell (at bottomofthewell) for their amazing corresponding art. Thank you so much for your time and effort and I'm so glad both you picked my fic. I can't wait to see what you've done! I'll be updating this fic with links to their art as soon as I receive them. I'm gonna have to word them a little odd because FF doesn't allow for links or at symbols either to appear.

I have to admit there's a lot of author appeal going on in this fic. I haven't written much of lately and I've been unusually down for a couple months now so when this year's big bang was announced, I decided to just go ahead I write something I've always wanted to and make myself a little happier. But I really do hope that all of you enjoy this fic and are able to tolerate my self-indulgence.

Here's a random fun fact: Kuronue's reincarnated surname Chiro comes from the genus order for bats, Chiroptera.

Please check out the rest of the writings and art featured for this year's big bang (and last year's if you haven't already). There is a masterlist for last year's entries available on the yyhbb tumblr page (at yyhbb) and many but not all of the writings are gathered in a collection on A03. And as always, thanks for reading.

Links-

plantpun: plantpun (dot here) tumblr (dot here) com (slash here) post/164415500377/my-piece-for-this-years-yuyu-hakusho-big-bang

bottomofthewell: bottomofthewell (dot here) tumblr (dot here) com (slash here) post/164424728209/i-was-blessed-with-saiyuri-dahlias-resonance-and

-o-

Story Title: Resonance and Repetition

-o-

Prologue

-o-

 _It's just a coincidence,_ _happenstance really,_ Kurama told himself as he switched the projector off and rolled the squeaky-wheeled machine away to the side. It wasn't like it was difficult to find a pale-skinned, black-haired fellow in Japan. Hell, if Kurama turned on a tv and flipped through the channels right now, there was bound to be at least one J-pop/rock musician, actor, model, or idol that matched Kuronue's looks and body type. Really, it was practically an inevitability that he was going to run into someone that strongly resembled Kuronue at some point in his life.

Kurama never expected to meet the living ghost of Kuronue.

He wished he was exaggerating the similarities between the two but, as far as his eyes could tell, it seemed like his dead partner had walked straight out of his final memories and into his stepfather's company. To add to Kurama's disbelief, his partner of now debatable mortality looked exactly as if no time or history had passed from then to now. The only thing that had stopped Kurama from asking Kuronue's mirror twin how he had survived being skewered was him noticing the fellow's lack of bat wings folded flush against his back in the last instant.

 _Kurosaki Chiro.._. Even his name evoked Kuronue. The odds, however, were astronomically stacked against the possibility that they were somehow connected or one in the same.

 _It's be_ _tter_ _to laugh it off as a cosmic fluke and move on,_ Kurama told himself as he exited out of his PowerPoint presentation and closed his laptop. Because the possibility Kurama was entertaining—that Kurosaki Chiro was somehow Kuronue reincarnated—was entirely ridiculous. Kurama had no time or patience to chase flights of fancy, especially ones that he knew were going to be proven false in the end.

As Kurama finished up cleaning and clearing up the office, Kazuya Hatanaka, the head of Hatainsha, sat bent forward at his desk and held his bowed head in his hands. His stepfather's company was never a Fortune 500 even at its height of business, but its consistent mediocrity had enabled Kurama's family to live comfortably within their means. That was until the recent economic recession had forced his stepfather to downgrade both the size of their office and their overall workforce.

Rumors still floated around the office that Kurama was supposed to have been let go last year but, due to him being the boss's stepson, he had been kept and given more responsibilities while other employees were handed out pink slips. While neither Kurama nor his coworkers were happy with the all-too-obvious nepotism going on, at least Kurama was as competent or better at his position than his predecessors were.

"Do you think he's already decided that we're not worth the trouble?" his stepfather asked and removed his glasses to rub his eyes. Despite his company's losses and decline, Kurama's stepfather had always tried to keep a soft smile and his head up in front of his staff and family. While Kurama had known that his stepfather's company was losing value for a while, only in the last four months had his stepfather made Kurama privy to his frustration and fears.

"Kurosaki Chiro doesn't strike me as someone who has the time to string along a potential venture he has no interest in," Kurama said, loading up the crate of presentation aids onto the bottom of the projector cart. "Nor would he make follow-up appointments with us if he planned on canceling them in the future."

"Yeah… If he wasn't interested, he would say so," his stepfather said, nodding in agreement. "Thank you, Shuuichi. I'm afraid I've been so stressed of lately I'm not thinking clearly."

Kurama walked over to his stepfather's desk and laid a sympathetic hand on his stepfather's bowed back. "We should focus on what our next course of action will be."

His stepfather nodded again and rested his chin against his steepled fingers as he considered potential avenues. It was not long before inspiration struck. "I think I know what to do..."

That was both a relief and a joy to hear. While Kurama did not mind to provide counsel and guidance, he did not necessarily want to make the executive decisions. His stepfather owned Hatainsha and it was his vision and ideas, not Kurama's, that were supposed to lead the company's future. As his stepfather had lost confidence and business had declined further, Kurama had found himself providing less advice and more decisions.

"All my life, I have taken the safe path, choosing to be sensible rather than reckless, conservative over bold…" his stepfather said. "And yet doing what I knew was right has only earned me a failing company because I'm too afraid to change with the times. Or I was. If Hatainsha is to survive, we must do something brash."

That seemed like a call for a company meeting to Kurama. As soon as his stepfather dismissed him, he was going to send out a text to their department supervisors to forewarn them and look up nearby restaurants that delivered. He wondered whether or not to bring coffee and doughnuts or tea and rice crackers for tomorrow's snack.

"Shuuichi, I know I came too late into your life to be any sort of a proper father figure, but I beg of you to do one thing for me," Kurama's stepfather said, his hands pressed together in prayer. "Please get close to Kurosaki Chiro and convince him to accept a partnership with my company. Whatever means it takes, get the yes."

Kurama flinched in shock and stared wide-eyed into his stepfather's pleading eyes. He had managed to stifle his gasp before it sounded. "...Father, I think this task is more suited to someone experienced in our sales department."

Kurama had many jobs in his stepfather's company but the majority of those jobs required him to remain behind the scenes, which was how he preferred to work. While he found himself facing more clients and attending more business meetings as he worked alongside his stepfather, Kurama worked best with numbers and data. He was an accountant, an analyst, and an advisor, not a sales agent.

Kurama was not about to let himself think that it wasn't the task he was assigned to do but the person he was assigned to persuade that was his real problem.

"Don't sell yourself so short," his stepfather said as he rose from his leather chair. Wrapping an arm around Kurama's shoulders, his stepfather walked him to the front of his desk and around his office. "You're bright. Just be charming, well spoken…yourself really. Persuade him. That's all you have to do." He squeezed Kurama's shoulders in a light hug. "I'm not asking for anything more than flirtation."

Kurama nearly tumbled over as he abruptly stopped. "W-what?"

"He was attracted to you, wasn't he?" his stepfather said, his voice and overall expression were unusually exuberant, especially for such a quiet man. Kurama hadn't heard or seen his stepfather so hopeful in months. "I don't think I was imagining things. I mean, I don't really know for sure, but I saw how he couldn't keep his eyes off you. Seemed to me like he was looking at you in the same way I look at your mother."

Of course, Kurama had noticed that Chiro had been looking at him, but Kurama had been giving a presentation the entire time. If Kurosaki Chiro had looked away from him at any point, that would have meant Kurama had lost Chiro's interest. Holding Kurosaki Chiro's attention was important to their business, seeing how they wanted him to be their business partner.

"'Course you would know if a guy was 'into' you before I would. I would hope you would. You have been out on a date before, have you, son?" his stepfather asked and then a flash of realization hit him and his stepfather cheerily added, "If he is attracted to you, you can use that to your advantage."

Kurama couldn't believe they were having this conversation. "I-I'm not positive on the ethics of this but I'm certain it's highly unprofessional."

His stepfather tipped his head to the side in agreement. "Well, it's not unheard of in our business…" his stepfather said. "But all kidding aside, Shuuichi, I need you to head the negotiations on this deal. Please, Shuuichi. Kurosaki Chiro is it for Hatainsha. Dire situations call for dire actions. If he says no to a deal to either partner or buy, we're through."

Kurama frowned and looked away in discomfort. For his love of his human family, he wanted to say yes. He had come to respect his stepfather. He was a good man, husband, and father. Actions and decisions that were out of his control had more to do with his company's failure than any choice his stepfather had made. It was time for fortune to favor Kazuya Hatanaka.

Besides, it wasn't like Kurama had never done anything morally ambiguous in his life.

"I wouldn't ask you to do this if I wasn't a desperate man," his stepfather said. "I know you're never negotiated a deal by yourself before but you're more than capable of handling yourself out there. You'll succeed, I know it. Plus if Chiro really does find you attractive, perhaps you'll get lucky on your first try."

 _I_ _'m hoping he means that I'll have an easy time convincing Chiro to accept a deal,_ Kurama smiled thinly and forced a single laugh that easily could have been mistaken for a groan. _I still_ _wish he hadn't phrased it like that…_

"Forgive me for asking too much of you but please, son," his stepfather said. "You know our numbers, how much value we have to offer. If worse comes to worst and I have to sell, there's not much chance that I'll find a buyer."

With a resigned smile, Kurama said, "...Okay, I'll do it."


	2. Chapter 2

-o-

Chapter One: Business Matters and All That Jazz

-o-

Of the business negotiations Kurama had attended in the past, this one was starting out rather oddly. Mostly because Kurama was meeting Kurosaki Chiro and a few members of his board at a restaurant, instead of someplace more typical like a conference room. While it was not unheard of for companies to head over to a bar or restaurant to drink and talk further after the meeting was over if both parties had the time, Kurama had never experienced or had heard his stepfather talk about a meeting that had began in a casual setting.

In a navy suit and matching tie, Kurama stood under the awning and waited for Kurosaki and his men to arrive. It was rude to be late so Kurama had shown up a half hour early as a precaution. The fact that he had planned on using the extra time to mentally prepare himself was beside the point.

Kurama was not nervous. He could talk his way through a sales pitch if he had to, not that he'd like doing it. The more aggressive sales agents considered themselves hunters, and while he no longer had to hunt to eat or steal to amuse himself, Kurama was not unfamiliar with a hunter's tactics. The sales pitch was the easy part. The challenge was Kurosaki Chiro. His likeness to Kuronue, politely speaking, made Kurama uncomfortable. Thinking of Kuronue still drew forth multiple emotions from him and Kurosaki's presence practically inundated Kurama with a wash of thoughts and emotions about Kuronue he thought he had laid to rest decades ago.

Kurama was not easily swayed by his emotions however. No matter how much Kurosaki Chiro looked and sounded like Kuronue, he wasn't Kuronue. No one could be Kuronue.

Kurosaki Chiro and two senior members of his company board arrived right at their agreed upon meeting time. The two older gents accompanying Kurosaki were typical company presidents but Kurosaki, walking a little ahead between the two, looked again like he had just came from a photo shoot without changing out of his last designer suit. If Kurama had to speculate, he was close to Kurama's age. Being that men in his position were more likely to be closer to their 50s or 60s, Kurosaki was young for a company president.

Conservative dress was the standard of professionalism in the business world but Kurama wasn't sure Kurosaki's suit counted as conservative. Against the slate gray suits of his fellow board members in the foreground, Kurosaki's dark purple suit and tie stood out too vividly. Each piece of his suit was actually a slightly different shade of dark purple but all three blended together into one uniform shade, unless one was particularly observant and looking closely.

Not that Kurama was looking closely. He just happened to notice because he was observant. The fact that Kurosaki was attractive was not a reason or the purpose for his detailed observation—sizing up his opponents and analyzing threats and weaknesses was a force of habit. Kurama wouldn't be alive today if he hadn't been aware of his surroundings.

"Ah, you're the presenter from the other day," Kurosaki said, his voice slick and deep. He smiled brightly as he returned Kurama's polite greeting. "It was Shuuichi Minamino, now was it?"

Kurama wasn't going to lie to himself and pretend that he wasn't surprised that Kurosaki had remembered his name. He was, however, going to lie to himself and pretend that realizing that Kurosaki Chiro had remembered his name hadn't brought him a small flutter of joy. _It doesn't necessarily mean that he's attracted to me,_ Kurama insisted.

"Yes, you're correct," Kurama said as he bowed politely and presented his business card. "I'm afraid that my boss, Kazuya Hatanaka, will be unable to attend today's meeting. I will be representing Hatainsha's interests in his stead. Again, we apologize."

One of the older board members snarled in displeasure. "Seems more like he couldn't be bothered to show up," he said. "What a waste of time."

"The man assigned a university brat as his sales agent," the other board member said as he adjusted his tie. "Hatanaka's obviously not serious. Are we sure he's worth our consideration, Chiro?"

Kurosaki's board members had yet to introduce themselves but Kurama decided that he was going to file away their real names for formality's sake and refer to them for now as "Potato Nose" and "Rooster Face" respectively in his own thoughts.

It seemed to Kurama that Kurosaki's board had already made their decision and Potato Nose and Rooster Face were trying to find a reason to convince Kurosaki to step away. Due to his unique state of being, Kurama aged slowly, and even though he was in his early thirties, Kurama passed for eighteen or twenty at most. But to them, Kurama looked young and youth meant inexperience. A company without experienced employees was a concern for any potential partner or buyer, or at least that was the angle Potato Nose and Rooster Face were trying to take. Kurama's stepfather probably hadn't taken his youthful appearance into consideration when he had assigned Kurama this task.

"It's all right," Kurosaki said with a soft chuckle, to both older gents' surprise. "Let's go in, shall we?"

As presumably the youngest and the lowest rank within the group, Kurama entered the restaurant last and followed the others as the hostess led them to their table. Kurama had been to this restaurant before but only for family celebrations. He didn't recall going through any lattice partitions on any of his previous visits, however.

Aside from being sectioned off and smaller with fewer tables, the secondary dining room looked near identical to the main dining area. The restaurant gave off the impression of clean elegance, relying on simple decoration and neutral colors. In a way, its style was reminiscent of a French manor. There were small floral centerpieces on each table, but only one table had purple flowers.

"Ah, just as I requested," Kurosaki said, quite pleased, as he, Potato Nose, and Rooster Face made their way around the round table and sat down. Kurama took his seat only after the others were settled in. Servers had followed the hostess and set down glasses of water and menus in front of each of them as the sommelier provided the wine list and his recommendations. After a quick back and forth between Kurosaki and the sommelier over various wines, Kurosaki went ahead and ordered a bottle of red for the table.

"Are you sure the kid's old enough to drink?" Potato Nose said with a smug grin.

"Minor problem, simple solution," Kurosaki said, shrugging his shoulders. He then turned to Kurama and asked, "So are you?"

"I am," Kurama said. "If you need me to show proof—"

Kurosaki laughed softly. "No, I doubt you're trying to pull a fast one over me," he said, tossing Kurama a playful wink.

It was such a little gesture, but its familiarity and warmth had taken Kurama off guard. But what had left Kurama staring an extra second or two back at Kurosaki was the spark of recognition jolting through him. It had been centuries ago the last time someone had smiled and winked back at him with exactly the same equal levels of charm, devilry, and pride.

 _I'm here to do a job,_ Kurama reminded himself, pretending to busy himself with looking over the menu. They were going to discuss business after their orders were placed. _No matter who I think Kurosaki is, my family is depending on me to get this deal._

Having served the rest of the table first, the sommelier stood beside Kurama and poured him a glass. Drawn by the sight of movement, Kurama peered over the top of his menu and watched Kurosaki across the table idly swirl his glass. Kurosaki smiled softly as he watched the red wine tip and slosh back and forth around the glass.

Not a second later, Kurosaki looked up and caught Kurama staring. Kurosaki's indigo blue eyes locked with Kurama's, if only for a moment. Swallowing his breath, Kurama quickly stared back down at his menu but not without first seeing a hint of amusement slide across Kurosaki's smile.

 _I'm too old to be swayed by charm and good looks…_ Kurama thought, suddenly realizing that his tie was knotted too tight around the collar. The room was going to need a little more air conditioning as well. Kurama found it strange how neither his tie nor the room's temperature had bothered him a moment ago.

When the server left with their orders, so began their business meeting in earnest. Kurama gave Kurosaki and his men the sales pitch he had prepared and answered their baited questions truthfully and accurately but without necessarily taking their lure and giving them too much information. Having to represent Hatainsha's interests and speak for his stepfather was more taxing than challenging. Kurama much preferred his regular duties where he mostly sat in his cubical at his computer desk and managed budgets and input data.

 _Is that what I do now?_ Kurama thought, his gaze stopping on the floral centerpiece. The small, clustered purple flowers in the shallow dish container were real. He felt their living presence sitting at the table. The small, stringy-stemmed blooms were a willed order away from sprouting into a snake-like mess and strangling Potato Nose and Rooster Face if Kurama had really wanted it. They were lucky Kurama was a mostly reformed criminal.

Kurama had "retired" from fighting a few years back, so he could assist with the family business when his stepfather's company had hit its financial boom and what was its height of profit. He had already been a victor in the Makai Tournament and, during his reign, he had ensured that his interests and agenda were protected, propagated, and preserved. Kurama wasn't completely retired from fighting though. He still trained when he had the time and kept his skills sharp. Sure, he had missed the Makai Tournament last year, and the one before that, and the one before that...but he still kept his eyes and ears open for any trouble.

Unfortunately or fortunately, all Kurama ever seemed to hear from Makai amounted to gossip. Worst threat he had recently received from anyone was Shura sticking his tongue out and flashing him a red eye.

Midway through their meal, Kurosaki and his men received a phone call from their main offices and they excused themselves from the table. Meanwhile, Kurama sat and considered his options. He doubted that he was going to isolate Kurosaki and get to speak to him one on one, at least not at this meeting. Kurosaki's men were less than impressed with Kurama to boot, and as long as they were present, Kurosaki was going to be harder to persuade.

 _Perhaps at the next meeting, my stepfather could occupy Kurosaki's men while I speak with him,_ Kurama thought and frowned in displeasure. So far, going by the books provided him with lackluster choices. If scheduling a private meeting wasn't a possibility, Kurama wondered how difficult it was going be to break into Kurosaki's office.

 _Modern security has made some advancements in recent years… Hmm, it might be fun to see if humans are capable of catching me in the act._ Of course, Kurama had plenty of avenues to take beyond the typical course, as long as he was willing to put Hatainsha's reputation in jeopardy.

To Kurama's unexpressed surprise and gratitude, Kurosaki returned to his seat alone. He apologized for the interruption. Without Potato Nose and Rooster Face around, Kurosaki's entire demeanor relaxed. His steady smile stretched out into a toothy grin, though by now that could have been the wine talking. Kurama half-expected Kurosaki to disrobe his jacket, remove his cufflinks, and roll up his sleeves and the only reason that he didn't was because Kurosaki knew exactly how damn good he looked in his suit.

Kurama started to think that his two-and-a-half generous glasses of wine were starting to talk too.

"You've never broken a deal before, have you?" Kurosaki said quite matter-of-factly, as he poured himself a fourth glass of wine. "You're unpolished but deferential. A little time and experience and you could be dangerous."

"Thank you, sir," Kurama said.

Kurosaki lightly chuckled. "What's with the formality? _Relax..._ " he said, leaning back. "Tell me more about yourself."

"Well, I've been with Hatainsha for nearly fifteen years as the Chief—" Kurama said until Kurosaki cut him off with a sharp wave of his hand.

"I didn't say give me your resume. I said tell me about _yourself,_ " Kurosaki clarified as he set his wine glass down and then placed his hand on his chest. "Take myself for example. I'm an Aquarius and I like red wine and travel. How about you?"

 _Is he…? He's not even trying to be subtle._ Kurama almost felt a comic sweatdrop run down the side of his head in disbelief. Kurama's nervous laugh was not entirely put on as he considered his reply. "...Well, I'm thirty-two, I consider myself a master gardener, and I enjoy reading in my spare time." Those were safe responses. Plus they weren't untruthful.

Kurosaki stared down into his wine glass as he let his wine breathe with a flaunty swirl. "Oh, the quiet, bookish sort… I bet you did well in school."

Kurama nodded. "First in my class. Meiou."

Kurosaki briefly raised an eyebrow in a short show of impress. "Good school," he said. "So which of the golden three universities did you attend?"

"I didn't. I wasn't interested," Kurama said. "Hatainsha gave me a desk job right out of high school." While his office employment right out of high school was not all that unusual, it did help him that his stepfather was the company president.

"Like a dutiful son," Kurosaki said, as he locked eyes with Kurama again. Kurama wasn't sure if he recalled Kuronue's eyelashes being as long but Kurosaki definitely had Kuronue's indigo blue eyes. They were as troublesome then as they were now.

 _'You'd think after our third raid they'd have us figured out by now. Four times might be pushing our luck,'_ Kuronue had said as he and Kurama waited for the cover of night from the trees. There was arrogance and anticipation in his eyes as his partner glanced askance over at Kurama and grinned wickedly. _'Then again His Lordship does boast too much, eh, Kurama?'_

When Kurama's mind stumbled back into the present, Kurosaki was talking and, as far as Kurama could tell, he hadn't noticed that Kurama's attention had briefly stepped out for a sprint down memory lane.

"While I value people that excelled in school, I'm afraid I was never much of a scholar myself," Kurosaki admitted. Kurama swore he had seen the point of a tiny fang peek out from under his top lip.

"If you don't mind me asking," Kurama said, looking away at the empty chair where Potato Nose had earlier sat, "where did your board members go to?"

"Something came up," Kurosaki said. "Business matters and all that nonsense."

"Business matters are nonsense?" Kurama said, smirking. "Is that what this is?"

"Business, yes, but I would hardly call it nonsense. This..." Kurosaki said as he raised his glass into the air and admired the deep red color of the wine in the light, "...is an exchange. You and I speaking to one another, that is."

"You see, the board is only interested in Hatainsha's numbers and profits. They'll only recommend a partnership or buy if they see it as a financial gain to our company. I, however, am interested in more than that. I want to see your company's potential before I make my decision."

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "Our potential?"

"Yes, show me what's at your heart," Kurosaki said, giving his glass a small swish before bringing his glass toward his lips. "Impress me."

Kurama was still unsure what Kurosaki wanted to see exactly but Kurama could certainly find ways to impress him if that was all it took. He wasn't quite sure how he was supposed to show Hatainsha's potential but he was going to persuade Kurosaki that it existed. And no doubt he and his stepfather were going to discuss at length what Hatainsha had to offer tomorrow morning.

"Say, do you like jazz?" Kurosaki asked, grinning with anticipation.


	3. Chapter 3

-o-

Chapter Two: Fill My Heart With Song

-o-

Granted Kurama was not much of a barfly but he had never heard of The Carnation House and he wouldn't have guessed from the street that there was a nightclub with regular live entertainment at the bottom of a few stairs behind a bookshop. The club was too big and too ritzy to be called a hole in the wall. Strangely enough, all the lights throughout the club were green, as green as the sunlight filtered through young leaves. It took some time for Kurama's eyes to adjust and find the lighting appealing. On stage to the far right, there was a jazz pianist playing.

Most of the staff seemed to know Kurosaki and greeted him as he and Kurama made their way to a secluded booth. As they passed by, the bartender asked Kurosaki if he wanted his usual. Kurosaki thanked him but declined the offer and ordered a whiskey highball instead. Kurama made it two.

They sat about a person's width between one another in the middle of a large, round booth. Having disrobed his suit jacket and rolled up his dress shirt sleeves, Kurosaki sat leaning back with his arm resting on top of the booth and idly rubbed and tapped his fingers against the booth's plush leather in time to the music. Kurama sat a bit more straight with one leg crossed over the other. He was also fully aware that he was a scoot away from opening up the opportunity for Kurosaki to wrap his arm around his shoulders. If he was interested to, that was.

 _I can't be entirely certain that he is attracted to me, and presumption could be tragic. Asking me to join him to drink after our meeting could entirely just be good business,_ Kurama told himself as he picked up his drink and looked over at Kurosaki, humming to the lively tune. Kurosaki was a sharply-dressed man, regardless of how much of his suit he was wearing.

In the green light, Kurosaki's suit and eyes were just as black as his long, abundant hair, which was neatly pulled into a high ponytail. Kurama and Kurosaki had talked some but now they were mostly sipping on their drinks and listening to the pianist play. As odd as it sounded, it still felt like they were holding a conversation.

Despite it being the whole reason his stepfather had assigned him to this task, Kurama knew he had done and said little toward persuading Kurosaki to a partnership tonight. And what was just as much cause for concern, a part of Kurama wanted to flirt with him out of his own desire and not to charm him into striking a deal with his stepfather. This was a business matter, not a matter of the heart. Kurama had to keep his emotions out of this. If he could face his imminent death and the end of the world with a calm mind, he could focus on the deal and convince Kurosaki into partnering with his stepfather.

"You've heard a lot about what we can undertake and provide for you but I'm curious to hear more about what your company has accomplished in the last few years?" Kurama said, reaching for his drink. If he eased into this casually and carefully, Kurama was bound to make up for his ineffective floundering half the night. And given how much alcohol was probably swimming in his system by now, there was a good chance Kurosaki's lips were going to let a little useful information slip.

Kurama set his glass back down without taking a sip when he realized that Kurosaki was singing.

As the jazz pianist played "Fly Me to the Moon", Kurosaki softly sang along. Though he seemed oblivious to everyone around him, including Kurama, it felt like he was only singing to Kurama, as his voice was only loud enough for Kurama to hear. Kurama had to admit Kurosaki had unusually sober pronunciation and pitch for someone with several glasses of wine and whiskey in their belly. On top of that, Kurosaki's voice was rich and velvety and, at times and on certain words, he purred. A quiver rolled down Kurama's back, as Kurosaki gazed over at him and grinned as he sang, ' _In other words, baby, kiss me'_.

His face was warm and so was his neck. Kurama hoped the heat was from too much drink—this was his third, maybe fourth whiskey highball. Facts were facts but the heart was able to trick the mind into believing anything was true and right now Kurama wanted to believe that Kuronue lived again and that he was sitting beside him serenading him.

He wanted to but, of course, he wasn't supposed to. It wasn't like he was going to bring Kuronue back by wishing Kurosaki was him. People either were who they were or they weren't and Kurosaki was not Kuronue. Kurama had to remember that. Somehow, he had to learn.

"Bravo," Kurama said politely but with little feeling when Kurosaki finished singing.

"Do you sing?" Kurosaki asked.

"A little," Kurama replied. "Among friends at karaoke."

Kurosaki scooted over and put his arm around Kurama's shoulders. "I think we've gotten pretty friendly tonight," he said, leaning Kurama toward him and into a light hug. "Please? Just a little. I won't tell."

"Unfortunately, I don't know the lyrics of many jazz songs."

"Sing what I just sang," Kurosaki said. "I'll help you along if you already forgotten."

Quietly laughing with embarrassment, Kurama lightly shook his head no. "You don't want to hear me sing."

"But I do," Kurosaki cheerfully insisted and still Kurama shook his head no. "Well, now your persistent refusal makes me want to hear you sing even more."

 _Kuronue always was a stubborn bastard_ , Kurama thought and then mentally cursed as he realized his mistake.

"Are you that bad?" Kurosaki asked.

Despite knowing that he should say yes on the off-chance that saying yes was going to shut him up, Kurama went ahead and said, "No."

"Well then," Kurosaki said and then snapped his fingers to the beat of a countdown. "A one, a two, a one, two, three, four—"

 _"Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars..."_

Kurama had chosen to give in and still he was surprised to find himself singing. Much as he wanted to blame it on the booze, he knew that wasn't it. Kurosaki was still holding him and Kurama lay practically pressed against his chest. His mind was occupied with conjuring memories of enthusiastic embraces not felt in centuries and Kurama wanted to sing.

 _"You are all I long for, all I worship and adore..."_ Kurama was beside himself with a bubbly feeling he could not explain. His smile practically beamed as he sang, _"In other words, please be true..."_

Kurosaki hadn't taken his eyes off him. Kurama had his rapt attention and it was making him giggly with embarrassment. His heart was pounding. If his stepfather had asked him how he projected this night was going to go, he never foresaw him and Kurosaki singing Sinatra to one another.

 _"In other words, I—"_ Kurama was not going to sing the final words. And even if he had wanted to, Kurama was laughing too much in disbelief to get the words out.

"No, don't stop," Kurosaki encouraged, as he shook Kurama's shoulder and swayed the two of them from side to side in excitement. "You were so good. I can't believe you didn't want me to hear that."

"Consider it a gift," Kurama said. "No returns. No encores."

Kurosaki's shoulders shook with suppressed laughter as Kurama sat up straight. "Oh, how I am fortunate," he said, matching Kurama's mild sarcasm.

Though Kurosaki wasn't holding Kurama anymore and he had drawn his arm away, neither one of them had moved away from the other.

"Call me crazy, but I think we were supposed to meet," Kurosaki said, as he picked ice cubes out of his glass and ate them.

Kurama stopped himself from saying anything or from giving Kurosaki a strange look, but he did wrinkle his nose as he thought about how oblivious and unknowingly on the mark Kurosaki was. Even if he wasn't Kuronue reincarnated, the chances that they would meet and that Kurosaki would be a fellow that looked just like Kuronue were so improbably low that even fate itself would find this unlikely.

"Spare me if you're about to tell me this night was 'written in the stars'," Kurama said, with a groan edging into his voice toward the end.

"No, not like that," Kurosaki said, waving his hand no. A drip from a melting ice cube trickled down his hand. "Astrology is a load of crock." He popped the ice cube into his mouth and crunched down.

"So claims the Aquarius," Kurama said, with a smirk.

"Hell if I know if I'm an Aquarius," Kurosaki said, with a snort. "It's just a pickup."

 _A pickup?_ Kurama thought, raising an eyebrow. "And here all my answers were truthful." Mostly.

"What can I say?" Kurosaki said, grinning as he shrugged his shoulders once. "I wanted you to like me."

"I already did," Kurama said.

Not even half a second later, Kurama realized what he had said. He looked over and saw Kurosaki staring back at him with his eyebrows raised. Kurama hadn't meant to say what he had said—it had just sort of slipped out. Not that he didn't mean what he had said because he did but it was that he had just not meant to say it out loud—as he confused himself, Kurama told himself to shut up.

"Just overlook that," Kurama said and looked away, as he reached for his drink. Never had he wanted a server to come to a table more just to break up the silence.

It was a short breath-length before Kurama felt Kurosaki finally move again. As Kurama turned his head to apologize, or at least move the conversation along, the corner of his mouth brushed against Kurosaki's lips. The unexpected touch astonished Kurama and he gasped. Knowing that he had surprised him, Kurosaki pulled away.

"I can't stop hearing you say you liked me," Kurosaki said, a rasp edging its way into his voice. Unable to decide where his gaze wanted to settle, Kurosaki's eyes flitted between Kurama's eyes and mouth. He then leaned in again slowly, giving Kurama ample time to push him away. Kurama didn't.

It was one soft touch, then another. Kurama stole his arms around Kurosaki's neck and buried his hands into his inky black hair. The inside of Kurosaki's mouth was chill from the ice but the chill quickly gave way to warmth. Kurosaki tasted of whiskey, sharp and searing.

It was not his first kiss but it had been centuries since Kurama had kissed someone with such longing and passion. Time and fate had called for Kurama to hold tightly onto his emotions, and at times to lock them away entirely, but Kurosaki's fire had burned his tethers. Kurama was awash with emotions he had long since buried and forgotten and his body drank in the unfamiliar sensations like rainwater to a parched plant. The soft, slow tings and trills of the jazz pianist playing was mere background to the drum of his heartbeat.

And then Kurosaki's phone started vibrating on the table. Without looking at the number or who was calling him, Kurosaki hit ignore, but just as soon as he set his phone back down, it started vibrating again. After the third ignore in a row, Kurosaki didn't even bother with it and locked lips with Kurama again.

Kurama arched his back in response as Kurosaki slid a hand, his grip firm, across and up along Kurama's side. Granted they were at a secluded table and the nightclub was otherwise entertained elsewhere, but the thought that they should be a little more discreet did cross Kurama's mind. Perhaps it was wiser to relocate somewhere more private before either one of them started moaning over the piano music.

"Your place, or mine?" Kurama whispered close to Kurosaki's ear and then touched his cheek to Kurosaki's jaw as he slid his lips back to his mouth.

"Depends," Kurosaki answered in between kisses. "How far?"

"Be at least forty-five minutes by subway for me."

"I can have a car here in twenty. We can keep going along the way," Kurosaki's said, his voice rumbling with excitement.

There was just one little matter disturbing and delaying them—Kurosaki's phone was still vibrating.

Fed up, Kurosaki finally picked up his phone and answered his call. " _What?_ " he growled, his scowl was a deep slash mark across his face. "...Yeah, I know."

Kuronue breathed a giant sigh of frustration. "Look, we'll pick this up in the morning. Right now, I'm—Yeah? _Fuck_."

Kurama couldn't hear who Kurosaki was talking to or what they were talking about, but if Kurosaki's sudden irritation was any indication, who and whatever they were discussing had just killed their plans for the rest of the night. All possibility of them leaving the nightclub together tongue in tongue was gone when Kurosaki said that he was on his way.

"Sorry, gotta run," Kurosaki said reluctantly, his eyes lingering on Kurama, as he scooted out of the booth and Kurama followed his lead.

Kurama was disappointed in the turn of events but he was also relieved that things hadn't panned out in the direction they were going. Sleeping with Kurosaki would have been a big mistake and Kurama would have been an idiot for going through with it. His stepfather was counting on him to get a yes. He was supposed to just flirt with Kurosaki a little, if even that. The goal was to persuade him, not spark a romance.

"Tonight was… Believe me, it's just the start," Kurosaki said, standing in front of the table, as he slipped his suit jacket back on. "Call me. I'm free after three tomorrow."

"I don't have your number," Kurama said. He was only getting Kurosaki's number for business, not for personal reasons. From here on out, all his meetings with Kurosaki were going to be conducted professionally.

"Check your contacts." Kurosaki's smile was far too smug for Kurama's liking.

Eying Kurosaki skeptically, Kurama picked up his gold-trimmed, rose-colored phone off the table and scrolled through his contacts. At first nothing out of the ordinary struck him until he noticed a new number simply listed as 'K'.

"How did…?" Kurama said, legitimately wanting to know how the hell Kurosaki had done that. "My phone was locked." Kurama had only briefly left the booth to use the restroom once but there was no way Kurosaki could have guessed his passcode—his real age.

Kurosaki just grinned in response as he turned to leave.

To Kurama's surprise, a car was waiting for Kurosaki outside the nightclub. He had hoped that he was going to get to talk to Kurosaki for a few more minutes.

"You gonna get home all right?" Kurosaki said as he stepped one foot into his ride. "I'll wait with you until a cab comes."

Kurama assured him that he was going to be fine.

"You better be," Kurosaki said and winked from his rolled-down window. "It's quite rare to find an interesting and attractive accountant. You're certainly the first I've met."

Kurama smiled politely in return.

"Oh, one other thing," Kurosaki said. "Your boss? He can't know about any of our 'one-on-one' meetings, okay?"

"I understand," Kurama said.

Kurosaki flashed him one last devilish grin as a goodbye and then gave his driver the signal to head on out. Kurama waited until his car was out of sight and then made his way toward the nearest subway entrance.


	4. Chapter 4

-o-

Chapter Three: Clerical Oversight

-o-

In the weeks that followed, Kurama was both the most miserable and the happiest he had felt in centuries. On the one hand, Kurosaki had agreed to a partnership with his stepfather and Hatainsha's future was looking more certain and assured than it had been in years. On the other hand, Kurama wasn't able to convince himself that his outings with Kurosaki were just purely business anymore. And if Kurosaki's text this morning was meant to be taken at face-value, Kurosaki intended to keep pursuing Kurama.

During their negotiations, Kurama had found ways to keep their intimacy above the waist. But now with the deal finalized and Kurosaki becoming an official partner, there were no rules and regulations, no company boards to keep in the dark, and no need to exclude hints from his stepfather that Kurama and Kurosaki were hanging out after work—though his stepfather wasn't aware that anything romantic was going on between them and Kurama certainly hadn't told him about their kiss.

And while Kurosaki had no qualms with sparking a romance with Kurama, Kurama did. The fact that Kurosaki looked just like Kuronue was the ever-persisting concern keeping Kurama drawn to Kurosaki and yet cautiously distant. Kurosaki becoming his stepfather's business partner had just complicated matters more.

The matter was Kurama was worried that he didn't love Kurosaki and only loved him because he looked like Kuronue. If he gave into Kurosaki's advances, to what gain and end was Kurama seeking by starting a romantic relationship with Kurosaki? Was it love or was he living out a fantasy that his late partner and lover was alive once more?

There was no way Kurama was going to know the answers he was searching for in this world and it was doing him no good sulking and wallowing in uncertainty while stringing Kurosaki along. Especially when Kurama knew there was another world that could give him answers.

-o-

The mountain of paperwork on Koenma's desk was only half as tall as it usually was, though if the young overseeing king of Spirit World did not return with news soon his steady stream of subordinate ogres were going to have a paper replica of Mount Fuji waiting for him.

Kurama waited patiently nearby. Having received a summons to Spirit World from Botan and, from her, word that Koenma had found some information regarding his inquiry request, Kurama was certain that it wasn't going to be long before he heard from someone. His patience was rewarded in time.

Finding the occasion important and solemn enough to necessitate the change, Koenma was in his teenage form as he entered his office with a closed file folder in hand. "Hello, Kurama, how are things?" he said, shooting a passing weary glance at the wobbly towering paperwork piled on his desk.

"Well," Kurama said cordially. "I've been told that you have news for me."

"Well, yes, that's true," Koenma said. "I'm not certain if it's the news you were hoping for."

Swallowing his nerves and doing away with his smile, Kurama steeled himself for the results of his inquiry.

"It seems that, according to our records, Kuronue was not reincarnated," Koenma said.

Koenma was right—that was not the result he was hoping for. But it was the answer he needed nonetheless.

"So that's it," Kurama said. He was unable to stifle all the disappointment from his voice. "Thank you."

"I wouldn't thank me just yet..." Koenma said and Kurama stared at him in puzzlement. "The thing is, when I found Kuronue's death certificate, it turns out that Kuronue was never sentenced and completely processed through." He opened the file folder out for Kurama to see. "See, we have his paperwork right here and his processing was clearly started. But here, on his judgment, there's no stamp or signature. Nothing."

Kurama's eyes darted across the files in hopes of finding out what had happened to Kuronue after his death but everything was exactly as Koenma had explained—there was nothing anywhere of what became of Kuronue after he had passed into Spirit World. "I'm afraid I'm not understanding what you're saying," Kurama said, his mind racing to factor in this new information. "Has Kuronue been waiting to be sentenced in some jail cell all this time?"

"Well, not exactly..." Koenma said, a nervous quiver shaking his voice. "Kuronue is certainly somewhere."

Both Kurama's voice and stare flattened. "You say that like you don't know where he is."

"At this very given moment, no, I don't," Koenma admitted. All of a sudden, the young king of Spirit World was not able to look Kurama directly in the eyes as he had been just a second ago. Instead, Koenma stared up at the ceiling, as if praying to Heaven, curiously enough. "But I've had ogres and ferry girls searching across Spirit World from the moment we knew of the oversight and they've been at it for quite some time now."

"Any news from them?"

"They've covered just about every inch of Spirit World," Koenma said, "but we've had no luck locating Kuronue's soul."

Koenma's face grew more worried, his eyes grew wider, his smile grew more pinched and placating as Kurama didn't say anything back at first. He really wasn't much relieved when Kurama finally did respond.

"You lost Kuronue's soul," Kurama said, his voice icily indignant.

"Not exactly. Sure, his paperwork slipped through the cracks," Koenma said, noticeably sweating and his voice rapidly speeding up. "But as for us losing his soul, well, souls are capable of moving on their own even when they're balls of fire. You can't entirely fault us for that…." Kurama was sure Koenma's panicked laugh was just to relieve tension. "I mean you and him made a criminal career of eluding Spirit World. His disappearance is kind of funny if you think of it like that."

Kurama didn't find the disappearance of Kuronue's soul funny.

He did, however, find his soul's inability to be accounted for in Spirit World far better news than he had initially.

After a deep breath, Koenma composed himself. "I'm so sorry, Kurama," Koenma said, bowing forward slightly in apology. "I can't explain to you how or why this happened or what happened to Kuronue's soul. For whatever reason, my father didn't complete Kuronue's judgment. I do not yet know what he may have ordered and done to him, but I will see to it that you'll have answers, and if possible, have prosecution for my father's actions."

Kurama nodded in thanks and then said, "Let me hypothesize something. Is it possible that Kuronue was reincarnated without Spirit Word's authorization or knowing?"

Koenma smiled. "Given what we know of him and of you and him, I wouldn't be surprised."

Neither was Kurama. If Kuronue wanted to come back, he'd move mountains, and Kurama was not about to believe that Kuronue was happy to lie in his grave. Kuronue was always too restless, always needing something to do. And Koenma was right—they had made a career of eluding Spirit World, why would death change that?

"Kurama, if I may," Koenma asked, "why did you ask me to look into if Kuronue was reincarnated or not?"

"Curiosity," Kurama said with an all-too-pleased smile and turned to leave. "My regards to you for your help, and give Botan my goodbye."

Koenma blinked in incredulity at Kurama's unsatisfactory and cryptic reply and immediate departure. "What? Wait, Kurama—Gwah!" And luck would have it, the precarious tower of paperwork piled on Koenma's desk fell over and onto the young king of Spirit World, silencing and stopping him from giving Kurama chase.


	5. Chapter 5

-o-

Chapter Four: And Let Me Sing For Ever More

-o-

After dropping his keys four times in a failing effort to open his apartment door one-handed and blind, Kurama turned away from Kurosaki long enough to at least get them through the door. Kurosaki's haste and insistence that his mouth was not supposed to be detached from Kurama's nearly sent Kurama stumbling onto the floor, and he would have hit the floor were it not for Kurosaki catching him.

Coming back from their first date that didn't have to be referred to as a 'business meeting', their steps were unsteady from urgency and eagerness, not drink this time. Kurama faced Kurosaki once again and the two raised up and bent down respectively to allow each other's lips to meet.

Kurama managed to break away long enough to say, "Door." Kurosaki swung Kurama's apartment door behind him shut with his foot.

"Real classy," Kurama smirked.

"I'm not a patient man," Kurosaki said.

Kurama's back rested flat as Kurosaki pinned Kurama flush against the wall with his hips. Lifting his right forelock out of the way, Kurosaki nuzzled Kurama's neck and swirled his tongue along Kurama's throat. This was madness, foolishness by definition, but Kurama was no stranger to risk and if impossibility had came to be and Kuronue had returned, Kurama wasn't about to turn him away. Whether Kurosaki was a repeat of the chorus or a variation on the original, Kurama was ready to sing along for ever more.

Kurama buried his face in Kurosaki's neck, below his ear, where he could breathe him in and feel the satin-silkiness of his hair brush across his face. Feeling Kurosaki's teeth scrape across the bend of his neck, Kurama dug his nails into Kurosaki's shoulders, eliciting a curt, rugged groan.

"Kurama..." Kurosaki said, his voice sounded rusty. Kurama was not going to lie—hearing Kurosaki say his name was sweet to his ears. "There's a lot I don't know about you, and you about me. If I'm rushing things—"

Kurama felt his belly flutter against Kurosaki as he chuckled low. "Actually, I hope you can keep up," he said, a hint of a challenge in his gaze.

Kurosaki pursed his lips and pretended to be slighted.

"I still think we were supposed to meet. I think that even if we hadn't met under the circumstances we did that we still would have met," Kurosaki said, cupping Kurama's right cheek, his forelock draping across and over the back of Kurosaki's hand. "I don't wanna make things sickly-sweet and say that it was destiny, or that we're soulmates, or tied together by a red string. But I feel like I've waited a long time, walked a long path, and now I can finally stop and stay right where I am."

"Your pickups are getting slightly better," Kurama said, taking Kurosaki by the hand and leading him back to his bedroom. "I already like you, you know."

Kurosaki simply grinned back.

They made it as far as the foot of Kurama's bed before they couldn't stand the separation anymore. Kurosaki let the bottom of Kurama's shirt pool around his wrists as he slid his hands up Kurama's torso and felt his every breath and shifting muscle. Kurosaki's hands were broad and firm, and his confidence in his skills were clear, even during his lightest touches. It had been a long time since Kurama had let anyone be intimate with him—he had forgotten how good sex felt, the give and take as both partners strove to please the other.

As Kurama pulled his shirt off, Kuronue's necklace jangled and slapped against his bare chest as it spilled out from in between his shirt and undershirt.

"...What?" Kurosaki said, his gaze sharp with curiosity, and delicately took hold of the necklace and glided his thumb and index finger down its thin black rope until he reached the heavy gold pendant resting in the center of Kurama's chest.

Kurama wasn't sure what he had hoped would happen or what he was searching for in Kurosaki's eyes as he watched Kurosaki admire Kuronue's necklace. "What do you think?"

Kurosaki stroked circles around the large blood red gem with the pad of his thumb. At his touch, the rounded gem seemed to shimmer like rippling water in the moonlight. "It's pretty," he said, amused fascination slipping into his gentle smile. "But I'm more of a silver man myself."

The pendant swung back and slapped against Kurama's chest after Kurosaki let it fall out of his hand. Kurama wasn't disappointed at all that the touch of Kuronue's pendant didn't magically revive his past life's memories. Perhaps one day Koenma was going to have news of the fate of Kuronue's soul—but that was tears, rage, and vengeance for another day, if that day was ever to come. Kurama didn't believe it ever would. Kurama knew Kuronue. Kurama was sure that he had found a way to come back to him. If not, Kurosaki made Kurama a very happy fox nonetheless.

Just as Kurama pulled Kurosaki down with him onto his bed, Kurama's phone vibrated from his jeans' back pocket on the floor and far from his immediate reach.

Kurosaki breathed a snort in disbelief at their untimely interruption. "You wanna take that?"

"I'd rather take you."

"So in other words..." Kurosaki said, a soft rumble sliding into his voice, as he bent down and his hair curtained over Kurama's face.

"In other words," Kurama said and then because he was able to do so now, unlike in the nightclub, he softly sang the last three words, " _...I love you._ "


End file.
